A Weight Lifted

Healthy Weight Management for Women Tired of Dieting

Antipasto for Dinner – Healthy Cooking Thursday

Last weekend, I found myself craving fast food. No, not from those golden arches or a freckle-faced purveyor of square meat… Rather, I opened up several jars and enjoyed a glorious tradition called antipasto.

Antipasto is the signal for the beginning of the meal in many Italian households and restaurants, but I like to enjoy it as a meal unto itself. It may be a little expensive, compared to my usual meals which my husband and/or I make mostly from scratch, and it may be a little higher in fat, but sometimes that is exactly what I want (dare I say Need? :) ). And it’s definitely a better choice for me to maybe eat an extra calamata olive or slice of fresh mozzarella than a large order of fries. I know I always feel good after a meal of quality antipasto…and I certainly can’t say the same about that other form of fast food.

Often when we do antipasto for dinner, we will combine all of the components together on a bed of greens. It’s important to me to try to use some fresh veggies combined with any marinated ones to keep the fat content in check. I like to throw some legumes or lean canned fish in to enjoy with some salty meat and full-fat cheese. Either way, this is a great example of how our non-diet program can include some awesomely decadent choices. Here are some ideas to build an antipasto salad plate at home (it’s also great for picnics!).

Garlicky white bean dip (basically hummus made using canellini beans instead of garbanzos and no tahini)

Kippered herring

Sardines

Mackerel

Smoked Trout

Starch ideas:

Good crusty bread

Whole grain crackers

Pasta (plain, cooked; you can toss it with your meats and/or marinated veggies)

With very little prep beyond putting food on plates, antipasto can be a quick and satisfying meal unto itself, and is perfect for those occasions when all of a sudden, friends are coming over for dinner. What would you include on your antipast’ plate?

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